Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-03-08
THE LAST DAYS OF REECHER.

The Blow to His Home Circle.
The following letter from Gen. King to his father
Hon. Horatio King, gives touching description OF
the closing hours Of Mr.. Beecher:
3s PARK Row, NEW YORK, March 7th, 1857.
Ny Dear Father:
Twas greatly shocked Saturday afternoon on
reaching the house TO find a telegram from WASH
fngton announcing the death of Col. Robert n.
Scott concerning whose Illness had not had the
slightest intimatfon. He was Acknowledgement on
Gen. Casey'S staff when was appointed to duty
with him, and the friendship then formed ripened
into close intimacy which has existed since 1862
1t seemed as II 1 ought to go 10 Washington to
tender such consolation and services as might be
within my power. and was about making arrange
to do so when was informed of the dangerous Ill
ness OF Mr.. Beecher. We had an intimation that
he was quite sick, but not seriously at the prayer
meeting on Friday evening; ii was supposed, how
ever. 10 be an ordinary bilious attack and no
special stress was laid upon 1t. But when it was
discovered on Saturday Afternoon that il was apo
peXy the greatest excitement prevailed and in our
home circle especially the most acute depression
and despOndency prevailed.
MI. Beecher was stricken so suddenly and
so severely that he has probably not had any time
to realize his danger He siept ali day FRIDAY.
and, indeed, it was not until Saturday that
the FAMILY thought it necessary to call In physi-
c1an. VINO Immediately realized the serious char
acIer OF the attack and sent for q consulting ply
slc1an, who confirmed his worst fears. From that
tllne on Mr.. Beecher has been in a state OF coma,
ana at THIS writing Is gradually sinking away,
utterly unconscious and apparently free from
pain. Although seventy-four years OF age his Wig
orouS physical condition has led us to feel great
confidence that he would live vet a number of
years. and there has really been very little to indi-
cate this sudden dissolution. A week ago sunday
ne was In MS pulpit as usual. both morning and
evening" ana preached with ali his usual strength
and brllliancy. have no doubt that many people
viii attribute mis- death to over work. and vet do
not share this belief but rather that it is the nat
ural weakness OF the tissues of people who have
attained such an age. Apopiexy is one OF those
diseases Which IS just as likely to attack people
without brains as those who have them, and thou
SANDS Ole from that cause while subjected TO no
intellectual pressure whatever
What his death is to us who have been so near
10 MN Is Impossible for Inc TO describe. To me
for over twenty-one years he has been pastor,
WIN tne same tender regard and affec-
ton as If he had been my father and
to all OF us bearing the closest and most affection
ate relation. L cannot trust myself to Write more
OF him at this time. think the world has lost the
greatest man or this century, and one whose infiu-
ence will be felt long after the great men OF the
same period have been forgotten have been at
the house number OF times and seen the SORROW
Ing family, TO whom he was indeed an angel OF
ilght and JOY ana comfort. In all his relations OF
Lille he was truly great, and it cannot be said OF
him as may be said OF most great men, that his
greatness was marred by great weaknesses. lie
was as nearly perfect as any human being ever
met.
The services in the church on Sunday We're of
the most impressive and tender nature In the
vast congregation, both morning and evening,
there was scarcely a dry eye, and the sorrow
throughout the city seems to he general. AT the
service In the Sunday school and at the evening
meeting the choir Sang my song, ''The Light In
DarkIfess.'
Your letter came this am, and will show it TO
the family. III Is most tender and appreciative.
Your affectionate son,
HoRATIo C. KING.
Hon. Horatio King, D. c.
Hon. Horatio King this morning received the fol-
lowing dispatch:
BROOKLYN, n. y, March S.-Hon. Horatio King,
Washington DC: Mr.. Beecher passed away peace
fully at $3.50. unconscious, still, and without a
struggle. Twas in the house. HoRATIo c. KING.
----
Glad that 1t was Defeated.
REPRESENTATIVE BUTTERwoRTH SPEAKS OVER THE
WRECK OF THE FORTIFICATION BILL-CANADA AND
THE UNITED STATES
~ am getting to be an optimfst, said Represent
atiye ButterwOrth, he stood in the House appro-
priationS committee room the day after the Forty.
ninth Congress Went out, looking at the wreck Of
the fertilization bill. He had just had thirteen
hours sleep. after seventy-two hours without that
blessing. His eyes were bright and his face
sunny, as II nothing could affect his cOmplacenJ
spirit. 'There is a Providence that shapes our
ends for the best" he continued and then he
added, 81 am thinking OF this bill 1t is probably
for the good of the whole country that we failed
to agree. Probably when we are again called
upon to consider IL the conditions will be changed
The first thing called upon to do may be
TO tear down all fortifcations and barriers along
the Canadian border BY the failure to pass this
bill we may have haStened the progress towards
that time when there shall be complete reciproc-
ity between this country and Canada. The pas
sage OF a bili for warlike preparations must have
retarded the movement in that way. A complete
reciprocity is TO the interest OF both countries and
it is in accordance with the feeling in both coun-
tries except among few fishermen. The progress
Of civilization cannot turn off its course on ac-
count OF The smell OF rotten mackerel. The
Canadians are the same people with ourseves-all
except Il very few half French that don't count
In the DOCulltiuD There should tp distinction
between the trade between Canada and the
United States and that between New York and
Pennsylvania. There should be a unity OF interest
and one grand American brotherhood from the
Gulf of Mexico to the region where you might
read the Declaration OF Independence by the light
toms duties we have. Even English vessels can
not enter goods at her ports with any greater
privileges than she can in ours"